Acoustic control unit



Aug. 14, 1962 M. L. COFFMAN ACOUSTIC CONTROL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1960 FIG. .1.

FIG. 2.

Aug. 14, 1962 M. L. COFFMAN ACOUSTIC CONTROL-UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1960 Patented Aug. 14, 1962 3,049,190 ACOUSTIC CONTROL UNIT Moody L. Colrman, Oklahoma City, Okla, assignor to Acoustic Controls, Inc., Abilene, Tex. Filed July 15, 1960, Ser. No. 43,237 Claims. (Cl. 181-33) The present invention relates to an acoustic control unit generally and in particular to a continuously variable acoustic wall or ceiling structure.

Present design and construction practices concerning public buildings, such as schools or the like, require that auditoriums be designed and constructed so as to serve many purposes. In fact, the practice is growing whereby in a school at lunch time the auditorium selves as a lunchroom or cafeteria, during classtime it serves as a gymnasium, and after hours it lends itself to accommodating students and adult play groups, orchestras, lectures, adult education classes, and community affairs such as town meetings or the like. Obviously, the acoustic treatment of such an auditorium if designed for one type of use is not suitable for any other types of use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a continuously variable acoustic wall or ceiling structure which, when employed in a public auditorium, such as a school or the like, lends itself to providing desired acoustic characteristics for each purpose the auditorium serves.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a continuously variable acoustic wall or ceiling structure having sound controlling units which may be manufactured in any size desired, it may be employed to extend over an entire ceiling or a part of the ceiling, one which lends itself to manufacture in quantity at reasonable cost, one which is simple in structure and which lends itself to installation with ease and facility, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of the present invention, shown installed as a section of a ceiling, the view being in elevation and partially in section looking into one end of the unit and showing the control means;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a ceiling employing the control unit of the present invention, shown as viewed from below;

FIGURE 3 is a view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2; FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view on a further enlarged scale of two pairs of the cylinder sectors employed in the sound control unit, the sectors being shown in one position of use;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, showing the sectors in another position of use;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the sectors on an enlarged scale, in an intermediate position of use; and

FIGURE 8 is a view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numeral 10 designates generally a frame having an inner face and an outer face disposed downwardly and upwardly, respectively, in FIGURE 1. The frame 10 may be incorporated in a wall structure, a ceiling structure, may be inserted in a wall, may extend over and cover a wall or a ceiling or may be incorporated in any structure bounding the sides of an enclosure in which the sound is to be controlled.

The sound control unit of the present invention comprises a plurality of members each in the form of a sector of a cylinder arranged in side by side abutting relation and supported in the frame 10. As shown most clearly in FIGURE 1, the sectors, designated by the numerals 12 and 14, are arranged in pairs.

As shown best in FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 7, the sectors 12 and 14 each include a wall shaped to an arc of a cylinder and having a leg projecting perpendicularly from one side edge of the wall. The arcuately shaped wall is designated by the reference numeral 16 for the sector 12 and by the numeral 18 for the sector 14. The other Wall of each of the sectors 12 and 14, in the form of a leg, is designated by the numeral 20 for the sector 12 and by the numeral 22 for the sector 14.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 3, and 4, the cylinder sectors, in one position of use, have their legs or walls 20 and 22 in abutting relation with respect to each other with the open sides of the sectors 12 and 14 facing away from the outer face of the frame 10, or downwardly as in FIG- URE 3.

Means is provided connecting the pairs of sectors 12 and 14 for movement from the position in which the legs or walls 20 and 22 abut each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of the frame 10 to either positions in which the arcuate walls 16 and 18 abut each other with the legs or walls 20 and 22 diverging from each other and the open sides partially facing each other or to positions in which the legs or walls 20 and 22 are co-planar, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 6, and the arcuate walls 16 and 18 are in side by side relation and closing the open sides of the sectors 12 and 14. The intermediate position is shown in FIGURE 7.

Specifically, this connecting means includes, as shown in FIGURES 4 to 6, an arcuately curved rack 24 having one end fixedly secured to the end wall of the sector 12 and another arcuately curved rack 26 having one end fixedly secured to the end wall of the sector 14, the end walls being designated by the reference numerals 28 and 30 for the sectors 12 and 14, respectively.

A pinion 32 is mounted between each of the pairs of racks 24 and 26 and is freely rotatable about a shaft 34 which has the portion adjacent one end anchored in the frame 10, as shown in FIGURE 5. The frame 10 also supports one end portion of a pivot pin 36 which connects the adjacent ends of the legs or walls 20 and 22 together.

Hand actuable means are operatively connected to the sector 12 of each pair of sectors 12 and 14 for effecting the movement of all the sectors 12 and 14 simultaneously from the position shown in FIGURE 4 in which the sectors face downwardly to an intermediate position in FIGURE 7, or a position in which the sectors face upwardly as in FIGURE 6.

Specifically, the hand actuable means consists in an arcuately curved bar 38 projecting from each of the sectors 12 and having its free end connected by a link 40 to a cable 42 supported upon a plurality of pulleys 44 mounted on the frame 10.

In FIGURE 1, it is shown that the cable 42 is endless although it is not necessary that the cable be endless nor employed at all for shifting the sectors 12 and 14. Motor means may be employed drivingly connected to each of the pinions 32, if desired.

A feature of the invention resides in the material from which the walls 16 and 18 are fabricated. Preferably, this material is sound-absorbent material, such as Celotex or the like. The material of the legs or walls 20 and 22 of the sectors 12 and 14 is fabricated of a sound-reflective material, such as fiber board or the like.

Alternatively, the arcuately curved walls 16 and 18 may be fabricated of sound-reflective material and the other walls of sound-absorbent material, if found practical.

In use, the sound controlling units may be employed in an auditorium or other enclosure to partially or completely cover the walls and ceiling. The arcuately curved walls 16 and 18 of the sectors 12 and 14, and the walls 20 and 22 of the sectors 12 and 14 extend from one end to the other end of such sectors.

The sectors 12 and 14 are easily rotated between their positions in which the open faces face outwardly of the frame or face inwardly of the frame 10. They lend themselves to adjustment to any intermediate position as exemplified by FIGURE 7.

It will be seen, therefore, that the sound controlling sectors 12 and 14 provide a means by which an auditorium may be made acoustically variable as desired for the use put to the auditorium.

In FIGURE 8 is shown a modified form of the means for rotating the cylinder sectors 12/ and 14'. This means consists in a reciprocable bar 46, suitably mounted, and having one end adapted to be manually pulled and pushed. The other end of the bar 46 is pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of a pair of link elements 48 and 50 which have their other ends pivotally connected to pins 52 and 54, respectively, which project from the ends of the sectors 12' and 14'. The dotted lines show one position of movement and the full lines show the other position of movement.

What is claimed is:

1. A sound controlling uni-t comprising a frame adapted to cover a wall surface and having an inner face and an outer face, and a plurality of members each in the form of a sector of a cylinder arranged in side by side abutting relation and supported in said frame, each cylinder sector including a wall shaped to an arc of said cylinder and having a leg projecting perpendicularly from one side edge of said wall and extending from one end to the other end of said wall, the cylinder sectors being disposed in pairs with each pair of cylinder sectors having the legs abutting each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame, and means connecting the pairs of said cylinder sectors for movement from the positions in which the legs abut each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame to either positions in which the arcuate walls abut each other with the legs diverging from each other and the open sides partially facing each other or positions in which the legs are co planar and the arcuate walls are in side by side relation and close the open sides.

2. A sound controlling unit comprising a frame adapted to cover a wall surface and having an inner face and an outer face, and a plurality of members each in the form of a sector of a cylinder arranged in side by side abutting relation and supported in said frame, each cylinder sector including a first wall shaped to an arc of said cylinder and having a second wall in the form of a leg projecting perpendicularly from one side edge of said first wall and extending from one end to the other end of said first wall, one of said walls being fabricated of soundabsorbent material and the other fabricated of soundreflective material, the cylinder sectors being disposed in pairs with each pair of cylinder sectors having the legs abutting each other with the open sidesfacing away from the outer face of said frame, and means connecting the pairs of said cylinder sectors for movement from the positions in which the legs abut each other with the open sides facing away from the outer'face of said frame to either positions in which the arcuate walls abut each other with the legs diverging fromeach other and the open sides partially facing each other or positions in which the legs are co-planar and the arcuate walls are in side by side relation and close the open sides.

3. A sound controlling unit comprising a frame adapted to cover a Wall surface and having an inner face and an outer face, and a plurality of members each in the form of a sector of a cylinder arranged in side by side abutting relation and supported in said frame, each cylinder sector including a wall fabricated of sound-absorbent material shaped to an arc of said cylinder and having a leg fabricated of sound-reflective material projecting perpendicularly from one side edge of said wall and extending from one end to the other end of said wall, the cylinder sectors being disposed in pairs with each pair of cylinder sectors having the legs abutting each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame, and means connecting the pairs of said cylinder sectors for movement from the positions in which the legs abut each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame to either positions in which the arcuate Walls abut each other with the legs diverging from each other and the open sides partially facing each other or positions in which the legs are co-planar and the arcuate Walls are in side by side relation and close the open sides.

4. A sound controlling unit comprising a frame adapted to cover a wall surface and having an inner face and an outer face, and a plurality of members each in the form of a sector of a cylinder arranged in side by side abutting relation and supported in said frame, each cylinder sector including a wall shaped to an arc of said cylinder and having a leg projecting perpendicularly from one side edge of said wall and extending from one end to the other end of said wall, the cylinder sectors being disposed in pairs with each pair of cylinder sectors having the legs abutting each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame, means connecting the cylinder sectors of each pair of sectors together for simultaneous movement from the positions in which the legs abut each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame to either positions in which the arcuate walls abut each other with the legs diverging from each other and the open sides partially facing each other or positions in Which the legs are coplanar and the arcuate walls are in side by side relation and close the open sides, and hand actuable means operatively connected to one sector of each pair of sectors for effecting the movement of said sectors.

5. A sound controlling unit comprising a' frame adapted to cover a wall surface and having an inner face and an outer face, and a plurality of members each in the form of a sector of a cylinder arranged in side by side abutting relation and supported in said frame, each cylinder sector includin a wall shaped to an arc of said cylinder and having a leg projecting perpendicularly from one side edge of said wall and extending from one end to the other end of said wall, the cylinder sectors being disposed in pairs with each pair of cylinder sectors having the legs abutting each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame, means embodying racks and a pinion meshingly engaged with said racks connecting the cylinder sectors of each pair of sectors together for simultaneous movement from the positions in which the legs abut each other with the open sides facing away from the outer face of said frame to either positions in which the arcuate walls abut each other with the legs diverging from each other and the open sides partially facing each other or positions in which the legs are co-planar and the arcuate walls are in side by side relation and close the open sides, and hand actuable means embodying a cable operatively connected to one sector of each pair of sectors for effecting the movement of said sectors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,825,465 MacDonald Sept. 29, 1931 2,071,262 MacKnight Feb. 16, 1937 2,117,953 Grau May 17, 1938 

